North Carolina State Courts

The North Carolina judicial system is made up of three district courts where federal cases can originate, as well as a number of trial courts for either general jurisdiction or subject-matter jurisdiction. These all have different focuses, and appeals from the trial courts can be heard within an appeals court and also the state’s own supreme court.

There are three federal district courts in the state, which can originate federal cases.

• The United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
• The United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
• The United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina

The trial courts within North Carolina are split into both general and limited jurisdiction. 

Superior Courts in the state have the remit of hearing felony cases as well as civil hearings that are $10,000 and above in dollar value. These courts are divided between 5 districts.

District Courts in North Carolina can have limited, subject-matter jurisdiction, there are civil, magistrate, juvenile courts and criminal courts which sit within 41 districts divided by county.

The subject-matter courts in the state include a specific business court dealing with corporate cases, which is overseen by the Supreme Court. There is also a Family Court for domestic cases and a Drug Treatment Court for offenders with drug addiction treatment plans in place. These courts only rule on these specific matters. 

https://www.nc.gov/

Court Name:	North Carolina Supreme Court
Address:	Supreme Court of North Carolina Clerk's Office 2 East Morgan Street Raleigh, NC 27601-1428
Phone:	(919) 831-5700
Website URL:	https://www.nccourts.gov/courts/supreme-court

Intermediate and Supreme Courts

There are Fifteen judges serving within the North Carolina Court of Appeals. This is the intermediate court which can hear cases escalated from the district courts and rule over the subject-matter courts if required.

As with most states, the court of last resort is the Supreme Court. The job is to regulate and implement laws for lower courts and agencies, keeping the state’s judicial system in line and regulating legal professionals such as judges. Appeals can also be heard here in some circumstances, when not resolved by the Court of Appeals.

Types of Courts in North Carolina

How to Find North Carolina Court Records Online

You can easily use our search function to find the court records from North Carolina’s criminal and civil cases. The right of citizens to see these records is protected by law, since in the 1930s, the North Carolina Public Records Law was passed. This dictates that court and criminal records, unless otherwise protected by law, should be available to the public. You can access criminal records as well as court records including plea and sentencing details, bankruptcy filings, police reports and much more. Most of the modern records are digitized and searchable, but some older cases may require a specific request to the North Carolina Courts to access the records.

North Carolina Counties